Fort Hood shooting: police woman hailed for bravery

An American police woman, Sgt Kim Munley, has been hailed a heroine after
taking on the lone gunman who went on a shooting spree at a huge military
base in the United States, killing 13 people and wounding 30 others.

Fort Hood hero Sgt Kim Munley who shot the killerPhoto: SPLASH NEWS

By Nick Squires, Nick Allen, and Andy Bloxham

1:02PM GMT 06 Nov 2009

Sgt Munley was one of the "first responders" who returned fire after army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan went on the rampage at the sprawling Fort Hood base in Texas.

She shot Hasan four times but was herself wounded in the gun battle. Her condition is now stable, according to military officials.

"They both exchanged fire and both were wounded," said Col John Rossi during a press conference at the giant base. "Her efforts were superb." The colonel also

praised "the heroic efforts of our great soldiers at the scene".

The police officer has been praised for her bravery and for preventing what could have been an even worse massacre.

Hasan, who was about to be posted to Afghanistan, was found alive and taken under armed guard to a nearby hospital.

He was in a serious but stable condition and not in imminent danger of dying. He was unconscious and on a ventilator.

As officials waited to interrogate him, they started to piece together what may have pushed the army psychiatrist, who was trained to help soldiers in distress, to turn on his comrades.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent a message of support and condolence to Mr Obama over the Fort Hood shootings.

In the message, Mr Brown said: "My thoughts are with the families and friends of those killed or injured and with you as you find the strength and words to help America respond."

CCTV images unearthed by US news broadcaster CNN appeared to show Hasan in traditional Muslim clothing, including a prayer cap, in a 7-11 convenience store on the base in the hours before the killings.

The 39-year-old, who is single with no children, was investigated by the FBI six months ago for allegedly expressing support for insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Hasan, armed with two handguns, walked into a training centre and opened fire on fellow soldiers who were having last-minute medical check-ups before being deployed to Afghanistan. Of those killed, 12 were soldiers and one was a civilian.

A Muslim by birth, Hasan was born in Virginia, and his family is believed to have come from Jordan.

A former colleague, Col Terry Lee, said Hasan had fallen out with other soldiers on the base. He claimed that Hasan said he was "happy" when a US soldier was killed in an attack on a military recruitment centre in Arkansas in June.

However, Hasan's cousin said that he had been the victim of harassment but had never expressed violent sentiments.

"He never went to Iraq. He was dealing with people coming back, trying to help them with their trauma," Nader Hasan said. "He was just normal, loved sports, never got into trouble." He said his family was "shocked and baffled" by the incident

One of the victims was Amber Bahr, 19, who was shot in the stomach but was later in a stable condition in hospital.

Her mother Lisa Pfund of Wisconsin said: "We know nothing, just that she was shot in the belly."

More than 500 soldiers were deployed to lock down Fort Hood as helicopters hovered overhead. Lt Gen Bob Cone, the base's commander, said: "It has been a terrible tragedy, it's stunning.

The shootings took place in the 'soldier readiness centre', a former sports dome, where soldiers are sent for final checks before being sent overseas. As well as soldiers about to be deployed, those returning and undergoing medical screening would have been there.

The attack happened shortly before a graduation ceremony for soldiers was due to start at the base.

President Barack Obama, speaking from Washington, described the attack as a "horrific outburst of violence."

He said: "These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk, and at times, give their lives to protect us. It's difficult enough when we lose these brave men and women overseas. It is horrifying when we lose them on American soil."

Officials are examining the possibility that some casualties may have been victims of "friendly fire" according to a senior US official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Hasan had transferred to Fort Hood in July from Walter Reed Medical Center, where he received a poor performance evaluation, according to an official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Fort Hood is one of America's most important bases for training its forces and tens of thousands of soldiers go through every year.

It covers an area of 340 sq miles near Killeen, some 50 miles from Waco, Texas. There are up to 65,000 people, including military families, on the site at any one time.

Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison said: "Our dedicated military personnel have sacrificed so much in service to our country and it sickens me that the men and women of Fort Hood have been subjected to this senseless, random violence."

Base commanders and the Pentagon said they had no early indication of a motive for the shootings.